Unfaithful Profit

“And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine.” (Lu 15:31 AV)

The obedient son had a problem with the extravagance which the father spent to welcome the prodigal home.  He was envious that such a fuss was made for one who was a great disappointment.  He was jealous that his faithfulness and obedience was not recognized nearly as much as the repentance of someone who had done damage to their home.  However, the damage done was only to himself.  The father gave his son his inheritance.  Something he would have done anyway.  The household was not out anything.  What we want to consider is a proper perspective.  The proper perspective for those who are obedient.  That is, faithfulness always pays.

From the time the prodigal left, all the father had become the elder son’s.  That means, from the time the younger son left, any future investments and returns because the eventual property of the elder brother.  This also suggests the share of material wealth that would have been the younger’s to inherit, would now transfer to the elder.  Putting it more clearly: assuming the younger demanded his inheritance at the age of twenty.  The legal age of an adult male at the time.  Let’s further assume the father was thirty years older than his youngest and would live to the age of seventy.  That means, there would be twenty years of returns that would go to the elder son only.  In other words, the younger’s foolish decision just may have doubled the elder’s inheritance.  This understanding will help us greatly when we are concerned over the failure of others to be faithful to the work of the LORD.

There really should be several responses.  The first is compassion.  Knowing the younger forfeited future blessings and squandered present ones, the elder should have seen such waste and had compassion on his brother.  Second, the fact that he survived his rebellion and returned to reconcile should have produced joy in the heart of the elder.  But third, the sense the father is just and will not forget the faithfulness of the elder should resolve any feelings of envy, jealousy, or even self-righteousness.  There is a temptation to become resentful at others who could be more faithful but are not.  We can stew about it.  We can become bitter about it.  Just like the elder brother.  Or, we could take satisfaction that our faithfulness does have a reward and the unfaithfulness of others may just increase our own blessings.  If there are fewer going out soul-winning, that only means there are more doors for me to knock on.  If there are few willing to work a work day, that only means there are more rewards to be gained by selfless service on my part.  If there are fewer preachers, that means I have the privilege of preaching to bigger crowds.  Don’t misunderstand.  I pray for the faithfulness of all God’s children.  There are enough blessings to go around for us all.  But if some are not faithful, we will not be resentful.  We will have compassion on them and help them to see the blessings they forfeit. We will also take comfort that God remembers and rewards faithfulness regardless of the choices of others.

This Little Light of Mine

“Take heed therefore that the light which is in thee be not darkness.” (Lu 11:35 AV)

Verses thirty-four and thirty-five are often separated from the context.  Our Master is encouraging His disciples not to hide their light under a bushel.  The light is from the inside out.  Not from the outside in.  There two verses are often misunderstood to mean that which we take in through the eye will determine the brightness of the light within.  This is true.  There is nothing that would dispute this.  But our passage is the light which shines from within.  The eye not only determines what light comes in.  It also determines what light goes out.  Our verse above is an admonition to those who have the light of the gospel.  We are admonished not to allow the eye-gate to be the bushel that hides the hope of the gospel within.  The verse above plainly states the light is already possessed and can be turned to darkness.  Not the other way around.

How we view life has a lot to do with how effective we are in changing it.  Our pessimism or optimism goes a long way in determining how others react.  There are two truths which we want to entertain this day.  The first is, there is light!  If we know the LORD, there is light within.  No matter how difficult life may be at the moment, there is hope, peace, and purpose.  Doom-and-gloom should have no part in the heart of the believer.  We can be discouraged.  We often are.  But this discouragement is contrary to the light that abides within.  There is light there.  We simply need to connect with it.  Second, our attitude has a lot to do with the light that is within.  We can extinguish the light God gives.  If we are not careful, the light that is within becomes darkness because of how we choose to view things.  I wish I could say that God has given me complete victory here.  I wish that were the case.  But I am a pessimist by nature.  It is something I have to fight all the time. “ Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof” is something I know to be true.  To always look at life that way no matter the circumstances is another thing all together.

But there is a third application here as well.  The one implied in the context.  There are others who are looking for light.  The LORD’s challenge is to let is shine.  He reproves those who would put a bushel over it.  There are those with no light inside.  They are looking for that light.  They are going into a dark room and hope there is a candle that will show them the way.  We are that candle.  There is a child’s song we teach to our young ones.  It is called, This Little Light of Mine.  Why is it we teach this song of optimism to children?  They need it the least.  Then when we become more sophisticated adults, we forget the principle this song teaches?  How we look at life will determine the quality of light we shine.  Time to look at life through the eyes of hope and faith.  Time to see challenges as opportunities.  Time to see others as ones in need of the light.

Our Daily Drag

“And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” (Lu 9:23 AV)

We have remarked repeatedly on the basic requirement of discipleship in Christ.  That is to deny self.  This is not denying self of some pleasure or need.  To deny self means to deny one’s own existence.  In other words, those who deny self, find their identity, purpose of life, and pleasures of life in Christ alone.  To deny self means to deny one has their own independent will exercised on a case by case basis in submission to the will of God as it benefits self.  Those who deny self, deny any will of their own.  What we want to consider this morning is the taking up of one’s cross.  In particular, the daily requirement of doing so.  Once taken up, it must be taken afresh.  When we rest in deep slumber, the cross is laid down.  When we rise, it must be taken again.  This is the second step of true discipleship.

One of the reasons why we fail in goals that are worthy to be achieved is that we do not commit to them on a regular basis.  The goal which we once desired must be accepted again and again.  It must be seen as a fresh commitment.  The burden of a life’s calling must be accepted every day in which we are asked to serve.  Each day must be seen as a different day.  A day when new and different requirements of the cross are required.  There is an overall surrender.  At the beginning of the cross.  But as the journey of the cross progresses, there are new and different challenges to it.  If we cannot take it up every day, then it will lay undone.  The closest example I can come up with is a deer drag.  As anyone who has harvested a large animal knows, the hardest thing to do is to get it out of the woods and into one’s freezer.  Dragging a dead deer a few miles out of the woods is no easy feat.  Often times, it is one step at a time.  Most of the time, it is a few dozen yards at a time.  Looking down trail, there is a strategy of avoid obstacles like downed treed or thickets which are considered and conquered.  Every time the hunter stops, he looks over the terrain and recommits for another few hundred feet.  Small commitments accomplish the overall goal.

Walking in obedience to Christ as His faithful disciple requires these micro-commitments.  Taking up the cross for that day is often harder than one assumes.  Dragging that harvested animal the last few hundred yards is often more difficult that when one started.  It must be done.  No use thinking about all that lies ahead.  Just commit to what the cross requires for that day.  Take it up daily.  Take the rest needed.  But then bear under the load and accomplish what the LORD wants done for that day.  Bear under the burden of the day.  There is only one cross to take up.  You cannot take up tomorrow’s cross.  Only today’s.  Denying self is the beginning.  Then, take up that cross and go a bit further.  You will eventually get there, one day at a time.

Our Every Man

“Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.” (Lu 6:30 AV)

The believer is to be generous with his resources.  This is not just material things. Time and talents are also to be considered.  This does not mean that no matter the request, we are obligated to sacrifice.  Proverbs chapter three and in verse twenty-seven tells us, “Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it.” Generosity is governed by ability.  In this case, Solomon uses the word “power”.  In other words, if we can meet a need without violating other obligations, then we should.  There are several applications which we can make here.  The one which we want to muse over this day is two words.  “every man.”

There are those needs which push our buttons and those that do not.  There are those people who tend to get our sympathy or empathy, and those that do not.  There are those people who seem to be easier to minister too and those who do not.  Paul tells us our love should be without dissimulation.  Or, our love should be sincere and without preference.  This is hard to do.  One of the best examples of a failure to do that is Jonah.  Jonah, who was a prophet to the northern ten tribes of Israel had a bias against the people of Ninevah and fought his ministry with them even after God had used him.  Knowing what is ‘good’ for someone is also a key.  Just because someone expresses a need does not mean their definition of meeting that need is what they really need.  The other day I witnessed something that really impressed me.  Living in a large city, seeing beggars in the middle of the road is not uncommon.  This one particular day, we had stopped at a light and there stood a young man with a beggar’s sign.  Looking at him, one could assume he was a drug addict.  His appearance was such it was rather obvious he was abusing drugs.  In this situation, money is not a good idea.  The drug user will only use it to buy more drugs.  However, the car behind us handed him a zip-lock back with items in it.  I could clearly see a toothbrush, personal hygiene items, some first-aid items, and perhaps a coupon or two.  In other words, the person behind us gave to someone in need what they really needed and not what they had hoped to receive.  This spoke loudly to me.  There are things which we can do to help those who have a need.  And we should.

One of the greatest gifts we can give is the plan of salvation.  It was freely given to us.  Therefore, we should freely give to others.  Generosity is a hard thing.  And, just because we are generous with our finances, does not mean we are generous with all that we possess.  Sometimes, it is not money which people need.  Sometimes it is a friendly spirit.  Sometimes it is grace which they need.  Sometimes it is affirmation.  Other times, it is information.  Perhaps they need a comforting word or a smile.  Things that do not cost a thing but meet a need that money cannot buy.  The Bible clearly teaches that if someone expressed a need which we can fulfill, we are not to deny them.  This is hard.  But it is a characteristic of the Savior which we must be willing to share

Blessed Believers

“And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Lu 1:45 AV)

These words are Elizabeth’s words to Mary when Mary came to help Elizabeth in the last few months of pregnancy.  Elizabeth’s salutation is amazing.  By the Spirit, she not only acknowledged Mary’s pregnancy.  She also acknowledged the nature and method of that pregnancy.  She correctly stated Mary was pregnant by the Spirit of God and that the fruit of her womb was the promised Messiah.  It is the statement above that in part, made it all possible.  The willingness of Mary to exercise faith, yielding to the will of God, was the cause of her pregnancy.  The reason she was blessed was because she believed.  Some might try to make the point there was nothing of significance to believe.  But there was.  She would be known as someone who was pregnant out of wedlock.  A serious condition in those days.  She would have to raise the son of God.  She would have to see her firstborn son persecuted unto death.  She would have to see her firstborn ascend into heaven in the prime of His life.  All these thoughts may have coursed through here brain.  Being pregnant without the seed of a man was something never done before.  How will the pregnancy progress?  How will the process of childbirth be different?  What will he look like?  Too many unknowns.  But she believed.  And that is the source of her blessings.

Among God’s people, I believe faith is not spoken of nearly as much as it should be.  Faith is the cornerstone of our relationship with God.  Faith does not stop with saving faith.  Faith is the building block upon which all of our spiritual life is built.  Faith, like a muscle, must grow and strengthen.  The only way to do that is to put to the test the faith which we have.  Resistance training is the training by which faith matures.  Being asked to do something that is beyond our present ability which requires us to trust the LORD is the basic foundation of our walk with God.  Too often we simplify our walk with God as an exercise of the will rather than of the heart.  In other words, we make walking with God nothing more than learning and memorizing rules and then following those rules.  What we fail to stress is the importance of faith in that desired obedience.  We have to trust first that God is the one who wrote the commands.  We then must trust these commands are in the best interest of our well-being.  Further, we must trust there is purpose to our obedience.  Lastly, we must be convinced the LORD will be pleased by our obedience.  If we do not exercise faith in obedience, then obedience is nothing more than will worship.

When it comes to Mary’s experience, it was not so much a choice of obedience as it was a yielding to the plan of God for her life.  This takes more faith than obedience.  This requires yielding control.  This requires we give up trying to run our own lives and yield to the circumstances which the Spirit brings.  The hardest thing for a person to do is to completely yield to circumstances which we can change.  Illness, trials, etc are things we yield to because we don’t have any other choice.  But to yield to things which we can alter, this takes a great deal of faith.  But to yield to those things which can change results in blessings beyond what the mind can comprehend.  This is why Elizabeth testifies that Mary is blessed above all other women.  Not merely because she was the chosen vessel by which the Spirit brought forth the Messiah.  Rather, because she believed!  It started with faith.

Suffering With Purpose

“But take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.” (Mr 13:9 AV)

One wonders what purpose God has for the suffering of His children.  One of them we notice above.  Jesus is warning His followers that persecution is inevitable.  If the LORD can do all things, certainly He can stop this.  If the LORD chooses to, He could stop all persecution.  In fact, He will during the millennial reign.  Right now, however, the LORD has asked His saints to endure persecution. But not without a purpose.  It is this purpose upon which we need to meditate.

The purpose is stated clearly, but the intimation is not.  The purpose for this persecution is to be a witness or a testimony against those who would persecute.  What this intimates, however, is a responsibility on our part.  Persecution is promised as part of our walk with Christ.  It cannot be avoided if we choose to walk with God.  What it requires is a willingness to endure this persecution with the right attitude and a heart of faith.  Faith under fire is often the tool used by God to testify to those who would reject Christ as to the reality of our faith.  Think of Paul.  As Saul, this persecuting Pharisee held the coats of those throwing stones at Steven.  He saw and heard it all.  Including Steven’s prayer to God for mercy upon his persecutors.  This played a large part in the conversion of Paul.  Paul, known as Saul at the time, was a Pharisee of the Pharisees.  He was a man of law.  He knew the word of God better than most.  He would have been well aware of the prophecies concerning Christ.  He would have investigated the prophecies in light of their fulfillment in the life of Jesus.  Academically, Saul, also known as Paul, would have known in his mind that Jesus was the Christ.  What he was missing was seeing the sincerity of faith which he was not willing to exercise.  Whether Saul, also known as Paul, accepted Christ or not, Steven’s death would have testified against Paul.

It has always bothered me when I see depictions of God’s people under persecution why they fail to fight back.  Sometimes, it is the right thing to do.  I don’t think we are required to lay down our lives or suffer needlessly just for the sake of suffering.  But I also believe there comes a time when God calls us to suffer for Him so that others who question the legitimacy of our faith can see there is something more real than life itself.  That being, salvation in Christ.  This means we must be willing to suffer as a form of witness to the grace and mercy of God.  The grace and mercy of God which came to us in the form of forgiveness of sin by the offering of Jesus at Calvary is the same that can come to our persecutors.  But if we do not show that this spiritual truth is reality by our willingness to suffer for it, then those who also need Christ will write it off as another radical belief that in no deeper than the comfort it can bring.

Comfort From Calling

“And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee.” (Mr 10:49 AV)

The emotional and spiritual state of this man was affected more by the fact that Jesus called him than it was about his circumstances.  This man who was told to be of good comfort and rise was a man who was a blind beggar.  Blind Bartimaeus sat by the wayside, begging.  He called out to Jesus for mercy.  He made such a racket that others tried to quiet him down.  Although Bart had an objective in mind; that being restored sight; he was told to be of good comfort when Jesus called in return.  Bart didn’t mention his need until Christ asked him of it.  Yet, he was to be of good comfort because Jesus called in return.  In this instruction we have a word of challenge and encouragement.

Bart was about to receive his sight.  He believed who Jesus claimed to be.  We know this because of how Bart addressed Christ.  The Son of David is acknowledgement of the Messiahship of Jesus.  Bart had all the faith in the world.  There was no reason to doubt Jesus would grant him his request.  But the comfort was not in answered prayer.  The comfort came from the calling.  We cannot forget this.  This truth is the basis upon which encouragement should be based.  Not on results, but on a relationship.

Sometimes, we do not get the answers that we want.  Sometimes, our illness does not go away.  Sometimes, things in life do not improve.  Sometimes, the thorn in the flesh remains no matter how many times we entreat the LORD to remove it.  Sometimes the infirmity is part of God’s plan to change who and what we are.  Sometimes, having a need that is never filled is the need which we really need.  Blind Bart was told to take comfort.  Not in the fact he might receive his sight.  Rather, in the fact the LORD called him.  This cannot be overstated.  The fact that God desires a relationship with us should be the source of all comfort.  That He would hear our cries should be comfort enough.  That He would care enough to be moved at our infirmities regardless of how he chooses to answer should be comfort enough.  This comfort has a way of overcoming our infirmities without taking them away.  As when my sons, when they were very ill, sought to sit on Daddy’s lap, it didn’t take away the fever, but it made it vastly more tolerable.  Next time we are overwhelmed by what life brings, remember, if you are a child of God, He calleth thee!  Be of good comfort.  He cares and He calleth thee.

Obedience for Pleasure Not Enough

“For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.” (Mr 6:20 AV)

Yet, when he was pleased at the dancing of his step-daughter and she asked for John’s head on a charger, he didn’t hesitate.  How is it that someone who feared John as a prophet, heard his word, did many of the things which John preached of, and was happy to hear the word of God come to a place where he imprisoned the man of God and eventually beheaded him?  How is it that someone can have respect for the word of God yet turn around and violate it in such and obvious and wicked way?  What would possess a person to honor the word of God and the man of God in many things, but when it comes to a major choice, all of a sudden, he has little to no integrity?  Beheading John was not Herod’s first major transgression.  Herod married his brother Philip’s wife.  This is the issue of which John rebuked Herod.  John rightly stated Herod should put away his sister-in-law and remain unmarried because it was not lawful to have his brother’s wife.  This is what got him thrown into jail.  Offense over the message is what caused John to lose his head when the mother of our dancer asked for John’s life.  Two hideous crimes, but still a man who feared the prophet, heard his preaching gladly, and obeyed much of it.

I find a trend that is alarming.  In today’s modern church we see many Herods.  They enjoy the preaching.  They come faithfully.  They contribute what they can.  But when it comes to major parts of their walks with God, personal liberty is more important.  We are not talking about issues of separation.  We are talking about issues of morality.  Choices that would result in discipline from God’s house.  There seems to be no conscience regarding the weightier matters of the law.  Rather, the blessings of a Christian faith are sought and enjoyed while ignoring major issues of sin.  This was exactly what contributed to the downfall of Israel.  They observed those parts of the law which brought them pleasure.  But those parts of the law which relieved them of pleasure were ignored.  Observation of the Sabbath being the major failure.

If our churches are filling with professing saints who practice their faith in ways that please themselves rather than God, there will be major issues of sin.  This was Corinth.  This was Laodicea.  This is today.  For Herod to hear the word of God gladly, obey it to a point, and fear the man of God is commendable.  But then to have the moral failure to marry one’s own sister-in-law while his brother is still alive and murder the prophet for telling the truth is going beyond rebellion.  To hear the preacher gladly and follow most of what he says, but then turn around and criticize because he states the obvious flaws in our character is the equivalent.  This is a dangerous place to be.  To pick and choose obedience to the word of God only when it pleases us will eventually lead to choices that are far more sinful than we would at first believe we were capable of.  Herod could live with a calloused conscience in his marriage to Philip’s wife.  Taking the life of John bothered him a bit.  But not enough to do it.  We walk a tenuous line if our obedience is only seen through the lens of pleasure.

No Such Thing as Perfectly Healthy

“When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” (Mr 2:17 AV)

Jesus did not make this statement to intimate there are some who need no repentance unto salvation because they are righteous enough.  He is talking to the Pharisees.  This group of people saw themselves as completely blameless according to the law.  They went so far as to invent additional law that would ensure their innocence before the law.  There was a rule for everything.  They also had the awful habit of comparing themselves against others for the purpose of self-righteous exaltation.  If they were more outwardly righteous than the populace, then they were righteous enough.  In short, they could not see the true nature of their wickedness.  They could not see their true need of salvation.  In short, they saw no need of a physician because they could not see the depth of their illness.

I have been blessed with a wonderful doctor.  I have to admit, at first, I wasn’t all that impressed.  But it was a personality issue.  As I got to know him, and his style of medicine, I really understood this man and his attention to my care.  The more I got to know him, the more I realized that I have been blessed and am in need of a physician just like him.  Back in the start of this year, I had symptoms that concerned my wife enough to spend a few days in the hospital.  Labs were drawn and tests were done.  Nothing conclusive was ascertained.  Then the follow-ups began.  I saw a cardiologist.  One of the best in the city.  I saw a rheumatologist.  Breathing tests followed.  But it was my primary care physician that really understood the nature of the problem and was able to diagnose some of the issues I had been having.  He is a stickler for lab work.  He understands the answer is in the blood.  We are not completely done with our tests, but my wonderful doctor looks at all the lab work and can see trends that others may have missed.  What is of note here is that this all started with a condition that I have had for a bit over a decade.  Former physicians blew it off as normal and nothing to worry about.  So, if it hadn’t been for my wife, when the symptom arose again, I would have ignored it, thinking I had no need of a physician.  Yet, the reality is, I was in great need of a physician.

Whether a soul is lost or saved, he or she must understand we are in constant need of a physician.  We are all fallen and wicked.  We need the saving grace found only in Jesus Christ and His offering on Calvary.  There are no exceptions.  All have sinned.  Even if we cannot see any outward signs of ill health, the blood tells the story.  We are corrupt and need the healing that can only come from Christ.  If we are a child of God, the healing process is a continual process that lasts our entire life time.  No matter how many times I have the blood work drawn, my physician can find a number that needs attention.  Good cholesterol; bad cholesterol; vitamin B, D, C; etc.  They all need a minor adjustment from time to time.  The same is true with our spiritual health.  We are never at a point where we are perfectly whole.  Not until our glorification in eternity will we be without some kind of spiritual illness.  The start of healing is when we admit that we need it.

Mary's Memorial

“For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.” (Mt 26:12-13 AV)

The memorial is the entry of what this lady of faith did.  Most assume this is Mary, sister of Lazarus.  If that is the case, then what she did was even more remarkable.  For her to anoint the feet of Jesus for burial means she was the first to resign to the eventual sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross.  She was the first to understand and accept it.  The other disciples, and Peter in particular, refused to entertain the reality that Christ would soon die an be taken from them.  They didn’t want to believe it.  Peter even discouraged it.  But Mary was willing to accept the inevitable, signifying as such by an offering of faith and surrender.  This is why this act is so special and why the LORD insists it be recorded in the word of God for all time.

Faith is under preached. At least the utter importance of it.  Surrender is rarely preached.  What we want today is a three-step practical solution to our problems.  We want the next self-help book to come out.  In reality, faith and surrender are the cornerstones of the Christian walk.  We can read all the self-help books we want, but if we are not surrendered by faith the God’s will in all things, we may conquer our temporary struggle, but it will either return, or a greater one will take its place.  Paul tells us in the book of Hebrews that it is impossible to please God without faith.  Faith is what separates human beings from the angelic race.  We can exercise faith.  They cannot.  According the Jesus’ definition of discipleship, surrender it the key.  Denying self is a surrender.  One cannot take up his cross or follow Christ without first surrendering.  A majority of our problems could be solved or endured if we just surrender and trust.

Mary could have reacted like all the others.  While at the feet of Jesus, anointing His feet for burial, Mary could have begged Jesus to change His mind.  Her tears were a manifestation of the resignation to what was about to happen.  She wept because she knew what was about to happen and the necessity of it.  Her simple act of faith and surrender may just have been the attitude when made her one of the first of all converts.  Even before the disciples who struggled with the coming death of their LORD, this lady knew what was about to happen, why it was about to happen, and accepted this truth.  Her simple act of resignation and faith is one that will be spoken of for all of eternity and is the example to all who profess Christ.  Surrender and faith is the only building blocks upon which a walk with God can be built.  Giving in and believing God’s word is the essence of what Christ died for us.  This Mary knew.  This Mary practiced.  This is what we need to be.

Inside-Out and Outside-In

“Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” (Mt 23:26 AV)

Verses like this one have been used to wage arguments for and against standards of separation among fundamental Baptists for generations.  Those who wish to exercise their liberty free from moral standards of separation stress the idea found in this verse that the inside is important.  However, they tend to stress the inside to the exclusion of the outside.  Those ministries whose objective is a mere outside conformity so as to avoid embarrassment among others of like faith tend to stress the outside as more important than the inside.  This was the problem with the Pharisees.  They had the outward man well disciplined into separation and religious duty.  Those things which could be seen of men were tended to with a regimental discipline worthy of the greatest army on earth.  However, the inward man was left to himself.  Those who recognize this tend to blame the standard as the problem.  But it is not.  It is the lack of equal concern for the inward as there was for the outward.  A lack of balance was missing.

There was this old boy scout trick my father taught us that made clean-up much easier after a meal was prepared on an open campfire.  As anyone who has camped knows, the smoke from an open fire can adhere to a pot or pan in a way that makes gorilla glue look like sap.  If there are any pits or dents in said pan or pot, it is virtually impossible to clean the cooked-on carbon from it.  So, to solve the problem, my father had us smear a thick layer of soap on the exterior of the pot or pan before we placed it on the fire.  When clean-up time came, dipping the pan in water dissolved the soap alone with the carbon that had baked on.  Looking from the outside one would think the cookware was clean.  But one would be wrong.  The inside needed to be cleaned as well.  Conversely, of the inside was scrubbed free from residue, the outside still remained caked with carbon.  A truly clean vessel was clean on the inside and outside.  If the baked-on soap was not fully cleaned, it could leach into the food the next time it was used.  If the inside was not cleaned, then it would mar the next prepared meal.  Both had to be cleaned. 

The same is true of the sinner and saint.  Let’s put it right out there.  Separation is both necessary and expected.  Stop complaining about the encroachment on your liberty.  Take up the cross and bear it!  Wear modest, appropriate, and gender specific attire.  Look like a Christian who can be defined as such by a simple glance as opposed to an inquisition.  Jesus surrendered His liberty and hung on a cross.  The least we can do for Him is walk worthy of the vocation wherein we are called.  However, don’t for a moment think that conformity on the outside makes one a disciple on the inside.  The heart and flesh are equally in need of discipline.  This is what the LORD is trying to tell us.  He did not come to destroy the law.  He came to fulfill it.  So, let us stop complaining about the law.  It is what Jesus would have done!  And did!  At the same time, let us consider the sermon on the mount.  A standard of the law that went deeper than the outward man.  It went to the heart.  Work on both and the LORD will realize glory from our lives.

The Evil Eye

“Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good?” (Mt 20:15 AV)

This question was asked in the parable of the day workers.  The husbandman hired three different crews at three different times of the day.  He agreed with the first crew for a penny a day.  He never made arrangements for the next two crews hired later in the day.  When pay time came around, he gave each worker a penny.  Those hired at the beginning of the day were envious at those who were hired later in the day because they received the same pay.  This parable is a hard one to internalize because it would be our human nature to feel as the first crew felt.  If the husbandman was going to be generous to the those hired later in the day, perhaps they would receive more than they had agreed to.  What we want to consider this day is the question which the husbandman asked.  It is a probing and convicting question.  It is a question of the depth of gratitude, mercy, and grace that would be in our own heart as opposed to envy and a false sense of justice.

To explain exactly what it is which the master is speaking, one must understand the principle of available opportunity.  Those hired later in the day were not lazier than those hired in the beginning of the day.  All day laborers were in the marketplace seeking work.  They were there all day long.  Therefore, the master decided to pay them commensurate to their dedication as opposed to their time labored.  The question was not one of desire for work.  The question was not one of ethics.  The question was not one of fairness.  The principle at hand was one of opportunity.  Where this husbandman was concerned, he would have been just to pay those who came later a lower wage.  We know this because of how he characterized the payment.  It was an exercise of grace and not entitlement.  This parable is not a parable supporting communism or socialism.  It is a parable that illustrates how a gracious God is good to all those who are willing, yet lack the opportunity.

The real consideration is how we might react if God’s grace was bestowed on another.  This is a perfect picture of salvation.  Salvation is the same to everyone.  Regardless of means by which it came.  Whether early in life, as when someone accepts Christ as a child.  Or in the middle of life, as when accepts Christ as a young person or adult.  Or maybe later in life, as when someone accepts Christ well into their mature years.  Grace is the same.  On a more temporal level, there are times when the LORD blesses others to the same degree in which He blesses us.  We should feel happy for them.  There is no excuse for envy over God’s grace towards others.  This was Jonah’s sin.  We should rejoice no matter how God desires to show His grace.  As Paul says, we should rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.  God is good to all of us and grants us far more than we deserve.  There should be absolutely no complaints, because if we got what we deserved we would split hell wide open!

Three Little Words

“Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.” (Mt 15:25 AV)

There is much confusion as to what constitutes worship.  Most of what is called worship today is man-centered emotionalism.  It is music designed to manipulate the heart into thinking it is having an emotional experience.  Worship is nothing more than acknowledging God for who and what He is in the context of our own limited and fallen humanity.  It is not seven-eleven music.  The same seven words sung eleven times over.  It is not a rhythmic concert with hopping, jumping, and even dancing.  There are other schools of thought that do the same thing from the other end of the spectrum.  A perfectly balanced orchestra playing complicated music with sophisticated harmonies doesn’t mean there is sincere worship.  This woman whose daughter was vexed with a spirit came to Jesus and said three little words.  Three little words that were the definition of depth of worship.  LORD help me.  That is all that was needed.  There was no concert needed.  There were no musical techniques that were practiced for hours on end.  There was no construct of emotional lyrics.  Just three little words was all that was needed.

In those three little words are a heart that is both broken and dependent.  In those three little words are a spirit of resignation and faith.  This lady, who had done all she could to help her daughter came to the end of herself.  She had no were else to turn.  She addressed Jesus by the title, ‘LORD’.  This is more than a simple name or tag.  It is an admission of who Jesus is and what Jesus can do.  In these three little words, this lady laid her heart out open and vulnerable to a God who loved her and cared for her more than she could appreciate.  When she uttered those three little words, there was no one else.  There was no doctor who might be an answer to a serious problem.  There was no husband there to comfort her.  In there three little words, there was no church family that surrounded her to bear her up in her frailties.  It was her and Jesus alone.  Only Jesus could help her.  By asking, she is stating a timeless truth.  God is God alone.  Only God can meet her most desperate needs and she is not too proud to ask for His hand.

We think that a show is required for genuine worship to occur.  The bigger the show, the greater the worship.  Quality is far more important than quantity.  The condition of the heart is far more important than the talents of the hand.  All it took was a surrendered heart and three little words.  There was no more beautiful act of worship recorded than this mother who made Jesus Christ her all.  Just three little words did more for worship than all that was going on at the temple.  Just three little words moved the hand and heart of God – and that is what matters!

Take A Break - From Yourself

“Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” (Mt 11:29 AV)

Rest is what everyone wants.  We are not taking about an unending nap.  Not the kind of rest one gets for eight hours or so.  The rest here is spiritual and emotional.  Peace of mind and heart no matter what the circumstances.  The rest that transcends tumultuous events of life like financial disaster, serious health issues, failed families, or a myriad of other hardships of life.  The rest of soul of which the LORD speaks is a rest which the mind rarely experiences.  I like the Greek word for ‘rest’ here.  It means an intermission.  It also means a recreation.  It is a break from that which is causing unrest.  The circumstances are not eliminated.  They are put on hold for a brief moment.  However, if we are reading this correctly, what our LORD might be saying is that if we make Him our object of worship and study, no matter what life may through at us, we can have a permanent emotional and spiritual intermission from it.

There is a generation that knows what an intermission is.  In the old days, when one would go to a movie theatre, there would be a slight break in the midst of the feature film.  It was usually right at the climax of the picture that would give the audience a break to use the restroom, get refreshments, etc.  The intermission usually followed one of the most intense scenes which required a resolution.  The intermission was meant to build suspense.  What is going to happen?  Will the hero prevail?  How will all the subplots be resolved?  However, when one is hungry or needs to use the facilities, these questions may not be as important as they seem.  When the viewer returned to the picture, emotions had somewhat subsided.  The suspense was somewhat dissipated.  When the picture began anew, the viewer could then concentrate more on the details of what was happening rather than looking solely for the resolution of the situation he or she might feel the most important.  In short, the intermission was designed to take a break from what which was causing the most distress so that when we returned to the film, we were able to soak more in.

Our Savior says we can live in a permanent state of intermission.  The idea is to live life so that we can experience and learn all that we can learn.  This requires a rest of soul.  This requires we yield to the ministry of the Holy Spirit.  This requires we take an intermission from our human response to circumstances and learn how Jesus would have handled it.  When God is in control, life does not seem as big as when He is not.  Or better yet, when we allow God to lead, life seems rather manageable.  The key, according the Jesus is to take upon ourselves the yoke He has designed for us and learn of Him.  The phrase ‘…learn of me…’ requires a separation.  Something must be separated from something else.  What the LORD is trying to tell us is that we need to have a permanent intermission from ourselves.  We need to come apart from self.  Divorce ourselves from who and what we are and learn what God is all about.  This is the only way to have rest of soul.

Two Word Dictionary

“But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.” (Mt 5:37 AV)

What is Jesus trying to teach us here.  Is He saying to only use two words: yes or no?  How would that work?  How could we accomplish anything?  With only two words spoken, there would be no word of God let alone the ability to convey ideas.  So, what is the principle.  One is that speech should be honest.  We should say it like we mean it.  If it is a yes, then let us say yes.  If it is a no, then let it be no.  In other words, our speech should be sincere and without hypocrisy.  But there is another way one can look at this.  That is, the appropriateness and brevity of speech.  In other words, if it does not need to be said, then don’t say it.

There is an episode of a popular sit-com that is all about the faux pas.  This phrase comes from the French meaning false step.  It is a verbal expression that may have some truth to it, but it is said in an inappropriate manner.  Sometimes it is a statement that is a bit too truthful.  Or, perhaps lacks proper timing or tact.  So it was with this episode.  It started out as a statement that accidentally and ignorantly cast a presumed aspersion on a third party without the knowledge of the speaker.  As the speaker and his family tried to fix it, it only got worse.  One faux pas after another only served to deteriorate the situation.  It got to the point that two of the family members who were proud speakers of faux pas actually were the most appropriate.  This is the meaning of our verse.

The tongue, according to James, is the hardest member to tame.  If we can control the tongue, then we can control the entire body.  I believe this.  Living in a culture that makes and art from of tact, I quickly realized just how absent of tact I was.  It was a deep pleasure for me to sit in quiet and listen as folks interacted with one another.  It was like listening to a finely toned and practiced orchestra.  Each word was measured against its effect on the hearer.  Each statement was slow in coming and thought out well in advance.  This culture knew how to keep their yea their yea and their nay their nay.  In fact, to this day I am still envious at their command of communication.  We could all learn the appropriateness of well thought out communication and saying only that which needs to be said.